An F-16 fighter jet deployed at the Spangdahlem Air Base in western Germany crashed Tuesday afternoon, as confirmed by the US military. The pilot ejected safely and is currently receiving medical attention, according to reports from Reuters and AFP.
The cause of the incident is under investigation, with emergency response personnel already on site. The German air traffic control authority noted that four F-16 jets were involved in a training exercise when the crash occurred.
“Two jets remained in the training area while the other two were returning to Spangdahlem Air Base. It is believed that one of these two crashed while approaching for landing,” the authority stated, adding that the remaining F-16s landed safely at the US Air Force base in Ramstein.
Injured Pilot
Local authorities in western Germany reported that the pilot sustained injuries as a result of the crash on the grounds of the American air base, which is near the Luxembourg border.
Authorities from Bitburg-Prüm in the Eifel region also indicated that the specific causes of the incident are currently unknown. Local fire and civil protection services have concluded their operations at the scene.
In a statement to AFP, a base spokesperson confirmed that “an air incident occurred in the flight line area,” near the runway. “The pilot ejected from the aircraft without issues and is receiving medical care,” she added.
The aircraft involved in the incident was identified as an F-16 “Fighting Falcon,” according to the air base. “The cause of the incident is under investigation,” the US military base reported.
Spangdahlem Air Base hosts the 52nd Fighter Wing of the United States Air Force, which consists of approximately 5,000 military and civilian personnel stationed across five different countries. This base enables the projection of US power by supporting the air mobility operations of the US Air Forces in Europe, Africa, and Southwest Asia, according to information on the base’s website.
